Polymer coated nanomaterials are useful in many applications, including in LEDs and bioimaging systems. However, the commercial usage of nanomaterials is limited by the poor optical and mechanical properties of the composite when the nanomaterial and polymer are blended together, which typically results in opaque films that have poor mechanical properties and are filled with aggregates (clumps of nanomaterials). For example, in LED device applications, high refractive index nanomaterials are in high demand as they would allow more light to be emitted with the same power input.
Nanomaterial functionalization is an exquisite process where particles have to be covered with polymers uniformly and via an easy process for any usage. This process provides a simple and versatile method to functionalize different nanomaterials including clays, alumina, TiO2, CdSe etc. This process provides several methods of achieving polymer functionalization, including grafting-to, grafting-from and grafting-through techniques. Additionally, this process eliminates several expensive steps that are currently in use, which would facilitate mass production of such nanocomposites for optical applications. Typically, commercial nanocomposites have refractive indexes (RIs) from 1.3-1.5.
As such, a need exists for highly transparent and robust nanocomposites using polymers with special anchor points that bind extremely well with the nanomaterial.